The Phoenix's Mark Book 1: Dogs of War

Chapter 10

Pulling open the front door, Laurence smiled to see Sarah, who jumped forward, throwing her arms around him, kissing him. “Your parents let you out this late?” he asked, pulling his lips from hers.

“No, but they went out and I figured what they don’t know won’t hurt them,” she replied. “Why, are you unhappy to see me?”

“You should know better,” he said, before leaning in to give her another kiss.

“Are we going to stand here kissing all day, or are we going to go inside?” she asked.

“Kissing you all day does sound pretty tempting,” he replied, smirking.

“Well can we kiss all day inside?”

Laurence turned around, looking into the house behind him. He returned his attention to her eyes. “My aunt’s not home. If she arrived to unexpected company, she’d chew me out.”

“Oh,” Sarah responded, dropping her eyes.

“But we can go for a ride, if you want.”

Sarah smiled. “Sure.”

“Alright, let me just go get something.” He let go of her and entered the house.

He reemerged a few seconds later carrying his helmet and a medium-sized box. She already figured what was in it. He handed it to her and, just as she had expected, she pulled a helmet from inside.

“Thank goodness,” she stated, turning the helmet around in her hands, examining every detail of the hard plastic.

“What?” Laurence asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s not pink,” she answered, looking up with only her eyes.

“Why would it be a color you don’t like?” he challenged.

She looked up at him, her eyebrows knitted together. “What made you think I didn’t like pink?”

“When somebody wears nothing but dark colors, it’s usually a good sign they don’t like pink.”

“Well, aren’t you observant?” she teased.

“Very,” he replied, bringing his face closer to hers.

“And full of yourself,” she added, moving closer to him, as well.

“Now, that hurt,” he said, closing the gap between their lips. “There’s more, by the way,” he continued after pulling away from her. She lifted her eyebrows in confusion. “To the helmet,” he explained.

“What?”

“Let me show you.” He took the helmet from her hands and peeled a section of paint off of each side, revealing a bird made entirely of fire. “It was made especially for you,” he said, stroking the birthmark on her neck.

“Thank you,” she said, leaning forward, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “So where did you want to go?”

“Anywhere is fine, as long as you’re there.” His response summoned a bright pink to her cheeks. He always pick just the right words.

“I think I know the perfect place.”

Instead of leaving his bike in the parking lot, Laurence rode it all the way down to the end of the dock, where the two of them got off and sat, their feet dangling off the side, just above the water.

“The moon’s beautiful,” Sarah observed, looking up at the sky. She rested her head gently on his shoulder.

“It doesn't even compare to you,” Laurence, replied, smiling warmly.